Notes on Family: Metaviridae

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This family contains retroelements that produce virus-like particles (VLPs). They do not share the infectivity of 'true' viruses but the VLP stage appears to be an essential stage in their 'life cycle'. VLPs contain the RNA intermediate and the corresponding DNA is integrated into the host genome. These properties are shared by members of the family Pseudoviridae but the genomic oranisation is different, with the integrase gene downstream of the reverse transcriptase.